Covid 19 Isolation - Days 2 - 5

Well what a roller-coaster the last few days have been.

Day 1 was ok.

Day 2 was, ok, lets crack on, get work done at home, try and get the children into some sort of homeschooling routine.

Sunsets like this make you realise that life does not stop!

Day 3 was the day I finally broke. I received a work email that completely broke me. With that came the realisation that life was not going back to normal. The realisation that we were going into a whole, new, unknown world. The first few days felt like I was on dependency leave but getting an email saying that is it until further notice, broke me. My work colleagues mean so much to me, they are the weights that keep me from drifting into insanity. They keep me sane, they keep me busy, they make me feel worthy. But more than any thing they make me laugh, and when I say laugh I mean full on belly aching giggles. The people that I work with have been a lifeline and realising that as of tomorrow there will be no more office days, no more whizzing across the office in my chair to join in with chats or to give my point of view, no more "hey...... what do you think of this?", no more butting in with my opinions. The ladies I work with really have been everything and I know that I am going to really miss being with them, in fact I already do miss them! In a short time we have become so close and until Friday I was just carrying on as normal and not really accepting the enormity of what was going on.

Isolation - Day 1

So, this is not the post that I was expecting to write as my second 'comeback' post but hey, that is life!

We have been closely following all of the Corona-virus news but honestly did not think that it would effect us. It would not get so close. Well today it did. It became a reality. T started to cough. The hubby heard him from about 4am. I am sure it is just a cold but Little I has also started coughing so that means we are all in self isolation.

Thankfully I can still carry on doing some work from home. However after this evenings press conference we now know that schools will be closing after Friday and we do not know how long for. As someone who suffers with anxiety this is not good. I cannot get away from the constant news, but still do not turn the television off, I want to keep positive but seeing so much negativity around makes it impossible. No body knows what the future holds. We are a healthy family so I hope we, us 5, will not get ill, however I do worry for other members of the family. With the possibility of the schools being closed for potentially months I need to create a new routine for us. A new way of living our lives, at home, together.

My plan (I say plan loosely, as I am literally making it as I go) is to create some kind of home timetable. I want the children to have a routine, I want them to still continue their learning, while fitting in my work but I also want us to make the most of this 'us' family time. Forget Corona-virus and enjoy some quality time together. 

Maybe this is nature, mother nature, telling us to stop.

Telling us to slow down.

Telling us to see what is really important in life.

As well as school work I would also like to schedule in some "alternative" learning for the kids. I am in the process of a new project, which I was planning to make my second post about, but I am in the middle of project "lady cave" greenhouse. I have acquired a greenhouse from my dad which is just waiting for the glass to be put in. So I am thinking about getting the kids involved. Yes the long term plan is that it is going to be my place, my sanctuary, but at the moment I am going to share. It will be a brilliant way to teach the children about gardening, growing vegetables and then using them in cooking. I have ordered a variety of vegetables that we can grow in the garden and greenhouse so that if things continue the way they are we will have fresh vegetables from the garden. This will also teach the children about self sufficiently. That is the beauty of veganism, we can grow our food!

So today is day 1 of self isolation.

Thankfully I have been able to get work so that I can work from home so I have been out. But tomorrow the cabin fever is sure to start. So we need the plan to start as soon as possible.

I am going to go and get planning and will be back tomorrow to tell you how day 2 of isolation goes!

Take care and keep well x

I'm Back!!

Hello!

How have you been?

Well it has been 20 months, yes 20 months, since I have written a post. Where has the time gone? Well I can tell you life has been manic. It has been that busy I really do not know where to start. But one thing I can say is that you can take the blog away from the girl, but you cannot take the blogger instinct out of this girl!

The last 20 months have seen me go from working part time, to working full time while running a household, bringing up the kids, being wife, project manager (yes we finally had the extension built) and a professional juggler of life. Needless to say, it all took its toll.

12 months ago I broke.
Mentally I broke.
I simply could not take it anymore.
Exhaustion kicked me right down.
I became shrouded by the dense dark cloud of anxiety and depression.

Raspberries and Cream - 1 Basic Recipe, 2 Decadent Desserts

Raspberries are such a great fruit for adding a hit of flavour to desserts. As soon as the sunny weather comes the hot, comforting puddings are swiftly replaced with fruity desserts. I have to admit, I cannot resist a creamy fruity dessert hence why today's post contains not one, but two raspberry desserts!

Both recipes use the same basic recipe but used in two different ways you have two delicious alternative desserts. This makes dessert preparation so easy, especially when entertaining and you have guests who have different preferences, or as in our case, children who like different desserts!

For adults, Manchester Gin's raspberry infused gin added to the raspberry coulis makes these desserts an exquisite treat! When you pair the sharp flavours from the raspberries with a creamy cheese sauce you are left with a truly indulgent dessert.

This is what I did...

Rich Venison Ragu

Game is such a lovely rich meat that we do not have as often as we would like. But this does make it a treat when we do have it. I will admit to buying this venison a few weeks ago when it was in the reduced section and put it straight in the freezer. Venison is a mince that I like to take my time cooking, I like to spend time perfecting the meal, it is not a meat that I like to cook when in a rush. With venison mince I find that the slower it is cooked, the tastier it becomes. So during the half term holidays I took the opportunity to put together a recipe that I had planned. During a shopping trip to our local TKMaxx to pick up some gourmet pasta I found a lovely Sicilian herb mix. These two ingredients were the finishing touches that I needed to create a rich ragu dinner.

This ragu takes just over an hour to cook but believe me it is certainly worth the extra effort. The extra time allows the flavours to marry together to create a deliciously rich sauce that you will not be able to resist!

This is what I did...

Easy Giant Couscous and Mixed Bean Salad

As soon as the good weather comes I love getting creative with my salads. Trying new ingredients and new flavour combinations is all part of the fun of recipe development. Now that I am working full time I am constantly making meals that can either be heated up as leftovers the following lunch time or bulk making salads that will give the hubby and I lunches for a couple of days.

This recipe came along after a compromise between the hubby and I. I enjoy couscous but he does not like the regular small couscous but he does like giant couscous. He finds it to be more filling and more of a satisfying addition to a salad. I find couscous of any size such a versatile ingredient that can be adapted to fit each individual meal. If I am adding chicken I cook the couscous in chicken stock, if I am using vegetables I use a vegetable stock. I find that cooking the grains in stock injects so much flavour to the dish.

This salad is not only an easy meal to make but also keeps well in the fridge for up to three days. It made a delicious salad, especially when served with some crunchy fresh bread!

This is what I did...

Rhubarb and Berry Compote and a Veggie Plot Update - Plus 2 Easy Recipes!

I love rhubarb season!

Keep reading for this scrumptious recipe!

When we bought our house 6 years ago we were delighted to find an established bed of rhubarb. Since we moved in, year after year, it has provided us with plenty of fruit. I have to admit that last year we neglected the veggie patch. This was due to time, there simply wasn't enough of it! But over the last couple of weekends the hubby and I have enjoyed taking time out in the garden. It has been hard work getting rid of all of the weeds but the end in sight. We only have one more raised bed to weed then it will all be about planning what to grow. Last weekend I spent some time focusing on the rhubarb bed. It had started to shoot and was flowering so I cut them off, had a good harvest and am hoping that this will encourage even more fresh growth. A couple of years ago the hubby built a fruit frame for our soft fruit, which at first did a fantastic job. But due to the neglect of the past year the raspberry canes in particular really took over. They had grown so tall they had broken through the mesh that we put up to stop the birds getting the berries and it really did look a mess. So, while I was weeding and sorting the rhubarb out, the hubby ripped all of the mesh off, trimmed the raspberry canes, blackcurrants and red currants, which had also become huge. We now have an accessible path through the fruit frame and are planning to create a path around the back so that we can harvest the currants easier. Looking at the amount of green berries that are on both plants I can see that there will be plenty to harvest and use in recipes! Next weekend we are planning a shopping trip to buy some vegetable plants. We are too late for seeds but we are still have time to sow plants. At the moment we are planning on getting some courgette plants, peas, edamame beans and maybe even a pumpkin for autumn. I will be keeping you up to date with how it all goes as I have loved being back in the garden. Not only do I enjoy time outside and getting back to nature but it also works wonders for my mental health. I feel so much better after a day in the garden! Too much time in can get my anxiety and depression creeping back in.

#CookBlogShare 2018 Week 22 Plus 4 Sweet Treat

Yay it's half term which means it is my turn to host CookBlogShare!

The last two weeks have been exhausting, but I have loved them! Our house has undergone a complete role reversal. Before I got my second job, it was the Hubby who was up and out first thing in the morning leaving me a cup of coffee in bed and at home with the children. Now it is me taking the cup of coffee to the Hubby in bed and leaving at 07:30am! The kids are loving the extra daddy time and knowing that I will be at home for them during the holidays means that they always have one of us around! I am still getting used to the long days and I am planning on doing a lot of research for healthy lunch ideas that can be made the night before, so if you have any ideas please do share them!

Last week the lovely Monika at Everyday Healthy Recipes hosted the CookBlogShare linky. I have loved looking through the scrumptious recipes that you all shared and it was definitely the cakes that won me over.

Here are my four favourite recipes from week 21 of #CookBlogShare...

#CookBlogShare 2018 Week 19 - Plus 4 Delicious Dishes

What a lovely long weekend it has been. Got to love an extra day at home. I don't now about you but as soon as the sun comes out our barbecue comes out and this bank holiday did not disappoint! We had lots of food al fresco, went to a foodie festival and spent time in the garden. 

Over the weekend Doncaster hosted not only the finish line for the first stage of the Tour de Yorkshire but also had their own food festival called Delicious Doncaster. The hubby and I love a good foodie festival, yes I am not the only foodie in the house! The market area was full of delicious street food stalls, local produce, locally made alcohol and even The Hairy Bikers! Yes the bikers were there doing demonstrations and taking in the atmosphere. Needless to say we came home with lots of foodie treats!

To Blog or Not to Blog? That is the Question!

On 2nd July 2013 I introduced myself to the blogging world. Little did I know that I would still be sat here nearly 5 years later. The title to this post may have you wondering what I am going to write. To blog or not to blog? That is the question on my mind.

Over the last few weeks the amount of times that I have sat and written has reduced dramatically. This is due to a number of factors the main one being my return to the world of the employed. I love being back at work, socialising with adults and have human contact. Staying at home with the laptop can be extremely isolating. But on the other hand the blogging community is one of the strongest, most loyal online communities that there is. I have some wonderful friends that I would not have if it were not for blogging. But, for my mental health and stability, I need to have actual people around me, not virtual people. Since I returned to work I have noticed an improvement in my mental health. Having a routine in my life and the feeling of need has brought the 'old' me back. I thrive at work and even want more hours (yes I am that crazy!). 

I have also found that juggling everything together is even harder than I expected. I was putting too much pressure on myself. I wanted to work full time, be the ideal housewife, the perfect mum and blogger all in one. But as we all know there are only so many hours in the day.

I need to sleep, I cannot do everything.

So, something has to give!

Weekly Meal Plan - #MealPlanningMonday 2018 Week 16

Hello and welcome to week 16 of #MealPlanningMonday!

This week is a week to go back to normality. The children have returned to school today, I am back to work and we have got our routine back. Following the Easter holidays I have gone back to part time hours at work, which I have to admit is kind of nice. I have got the house to myself this morning, I have been able to walk the children to school and have got some 'me' time back!

Last week we enjoyed a lovely, but busy, week away in Northumberland. We went out every single day, we spent quality time together as a family and time out from social media did me the world of good! I have even found that since coming home I have kept away from checking Facebook every few minutes. While we were away we visited lots of National Trust and English Heritage sites and found that having membership for both saved us a lot of money. Now that the twins are older we found that they were curious and keen to learn about the places that we visited and it was lovely. The weather may not have been great, we got wet in the rain, we got cold in the wind and splashed in the cold sea with the sun on our back and it was perfect!

How Omega Fats Are Good For Your Diet - Guest Post

Picture courtesy of Pixabay

Omega-3 fatty acids have an incredible reputation when it comes to basic nutrition. But for sure there will be a lot of questions on your mind regarding them. Like what are Omega-3s? Is it important for my health? Will a deficiency cause problems? We will answer these question in time. But before that let us get down to the basics.

What are Omega-3 fatty acids?

We could get into the chemistry of it, but that is a whole other diverse topic. Here is what you need to know. Omega-3 fat is the good kind of fat. The kind that will benefit your health in an effective way. The polyunsaturated fatty acids are the holy grail of nutrients.

What you need to know

Most health organizations recommend 250 - 500 mg of these healthy fats per day. Those suffering from heart ailments and cancer must go up to 4000 mg per day. These essential fatty acids cannot be made by the human body and must be consumed through diet. There are three types of Omega-3 fatty acids: ALA, EPA and DHA. They each play a significant role in nutrition. Apart from these vital facts, read on to find its benefits on your health.

Holiday Weekly Meal Plan - #MealPlanningMonday 2018 Week 15

Hello and welcome to week 15 of #MealPlanningMonday!

This weeks meal plan is a bit different as this week we are on holiday! We are staying in Northumberland for the week with my parents. Holidays are the perfect time to spend quality time together as a family away from the day to day routine. To make life easier and the load in the car lighter we did an online order that was delivered to the cottage on our arrival. As we did the order before coming my mum and I were able to plan some meals. We will not be cooking everyday but taking it in turns to cook will certainly save us a lot of money that would have been spent on meals out.

This is what we have got planned for this weeks meals...

Spring Cleaning with Dr Beckmann

As we head into the final term of the academic year I always find that the children's white t-shirts and shirts start to get tired looking. But with just one term left I really do not want to be going out to buy new shirts for three children. So when I was asked if I would like to try some Dr Beckmann products I saw it as the ideal opportunity to not only save me buying more shirts but to also put the products to the test.

I received a package of:

• Stain Devils Pre-Wash
• Glowhite Ultra
• Stain Devils Survival Kit

The Stain Devils Pre-Wash works on both old and new stains. Dr. Beckmann’s Pre-Wash Stain Devil contains a unique Triple Active Complex that’s tough on stains, yet gentle on fabrics. Removing a variety of everyday stains from grease to baby food, this powerful gel is suitable for all washable white and colours, even working at low temperatures, on short cycles. This household essential doesn’t contain bleach, yet works fast to remove stains in 10-15 minutes with the help of the unique soft brush applicator. This is a great way to target stains without treating the whole garment.

My Little Sous-Chef Tandem Cookbook Review

All of my children love to help me cook. Whether it is baking a cake or preparing a dinner they always want to be involved. Cooking is such a valuable life skill for our children to learn and a fantastic way to teach them about cooking and eating a healthy diet.

When My Little Sous-Chef asked if I would like to try their cookbook I jumped at the chance. My Little Sous-Chef is not your regular cookbook, it is the first tandem cookbook. You get two cookbooks, one for the grown ups and one for the children. Both books feature the same recipes, the grown ups book contains the detailed recipes and mouthwatering pictures whereas the children's cook is full of easy step by step instructions that are accompanied by fun drawings.

The cookbooks are divided into three scrumptious chapters:

• Have a Bite - 7 recipes for lunches, light bites, buffet food, including sausages rolls, focaccia, pizza muffins and cheese crackers
• Enjoy your Meal - 13 main meal recipes including bean tacos, gnocchi, spinach ravioli and fishballs
• Yay, Dessert! - 10 irresistible sweet treats including apple roses, cheesecake, tiramisu and brownies

#CookBlogShare 2018 Week 14 - Plus Three Irresistible Drinks!

Hello foodies and welcome to week 14 of the CookBlogShare linky.

I hope you all had a tasty Easter weekend. We enjoyed fish on good Friday which was followed by a mouthwatering roast lamb dinner cooked by the hubby on Easter Sunday! I will admit to being a mad shopper on the Saturday before Easter Sunday. I suddenly remembered that I had not picked up any fresh rosemary for the roast and every single shop (yes, I made the hubby drive to all of the supermarkets in the area!) had sold out. This meant that we had to rethink our roast ideas and if I am completely honest, it was even better! I simply left some dried rosemary in some rapeseed oil to soften with some chopped garlic and sea salt then before putting the leg of lamb in the oven it was scored and rubbed with the oil. It was that simple and so tasty.

It is lovely to have some time off work and being at home with the family. This week is going to fly by, the hubby has gone back to work today but is off from Thursday as we are having a week up in stunning Northumberland. This is my idea of pure bliss. I love Northumberland and always find holidays there so relaxing. I am looking forward to plenty of beach walks, freshly caught fish and delicious food, time out and quality family time. I am even planning on some time out from social media and having a true break from everything.

Anyway, back to CookBlogShare. Last week the linky was hosted by Monika at Everyday Healthy Recipes who did an Easter inspired round up. There were so many Easter recipes shared and despite looking so good, I have decided to go for a different theme this week.

Unfortunately there were not four recipes of the same theme so I have gone with the three that I could not resist! Here are my three favourite recipes from week 13 of CookBlogShare....

Weekly Meal Plan - #MealPlanningMonday 2018 Week 14

Hello and welcome to week 14 of #MealPlanningMonday!

Yay! It is now the Easter holidays. I had a week and a half off blogging but now that I have got going again I realise that I have missed it. For me blogging has always been a way for me to get things and ideas out of my head. There is something so therapeutic about writing. This week's meal plan is full of meals that I know I am going to have time to cook, unlike when I am at work.

On Friday we are going to be leaving my mother in law, who has been living with us until the sale of her house goes through, and going up to the stunning Northumberland for a week away with my parents. This is a part of the country that I love, it is such a beautiful part of the country that is so unspoiled. We will be staying in Bamburgh and one thing I am looking forward to is walks along the perfect coastline with the castle in my view. To make next weeks meals easier and cheaper my mum and I are going to do an online order so that we can get the groceries delivered, which will save us taking a lot of food with us, to save us doing a big shop once we get there. Next weeks meal plan will be full of easy meals that can be made while on holiday so keep an eye put for that!

Now onto this weeks meal plan. This is what we will be enjoying this week...

Easy Hidden Veg Tomato Sauce

Who doesn't love a recipe that is full of hidden goodness?

I know that one of my favourite things is seeing my children tucking into a meal and not realising that they are eating vegetables that they, ordinarily, may not have wanted. This incredibly versatile sauce is my favourite go to pasta sauce. It is quick to make, easy to prepare, full of flavour and full of goodness!

There are so many ways that this basic sauce recipe can be used. The possibilities are endless. It can be used with meatballs, with mince beef for a bolognese style sauce for spaghetti or even lasagne, you could add some tuna and have it as a tuna pasta bake, you could even add some water and have it as a soup!

By combining seven vegetables with some herbs you have a great base for so many different meals.

This is what I did...

Weekly Meal Plan - #MealPlanningMonday 2018 Week 13

Hello and welcome to week 13 of #MealPlanningMonday.

You may have noticed that over the last week things have been very quiet on Hijacked By Twins. I have to admit that working full time, being mum/wife and blogger is a lot harder than I expected. I have struggled to find the time to sit down and write. Luckily the Easter holidays are on their way and we have got a family holiday planned where I am planning to have a complete break from blogging and social media. I am looking forward to cutting myself off from everything to concentrate on my family and myself. I think we all need to do this every now and then for our own sanity.

My posts may have been quiet but in the background I do have some exciting review posts coming up as well as a charity post in the pipeline. Over the Easter weekend Little I will be helping me to review a tandem cookbook and I will admit to being just as excited as she is. That post will be live on 4th April so keep an eye out for that!

Now on to this weeks meal plan. The children finish school on Wednesday but I have got an extra day to work so I have a feeling that by Thursday evening I will be ready for a delicious, easy meal and a lovely glass of wine. But before then I have got some quick and easy meals that we all love!

This is what we will be enjoying this week...

#BigMac50 - Celebrating 50 Years of the Big Mac!

McDonald's has been a family favourite for years. I remember going for a McDonald's as a child and have fond memories of us taking my late grandmother who asked where the cutlery was. I am sure that there are families all over the world that have McDonald's memories too. They are a worldwide brand who everyone knows and loves. You can guarantee that where ever you are in the world, if you order a Big Mac it is going to taste exactly the same as it does at home.

Back in 2016 I wrote a post about the evolution of McDonald's after visiting one the newly refurbished restaurants in Leeds. While I was there I even made my very own Big Mac using two all beef burgers, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions all in a sesame seed bun.